Daughter of Skill
by KaylaDestroyer
Summary: When the henchmen of a gang leader known all over China try to kidnap Qiao, Tigress refuses to lose her daughter and is taken captive. But secret ties between the two orphans and the gang leader launch Qiao on an epic quest to retrieve her mother and discover just who she really is. NOTE: The story cover is provided by Google Images. I did NOT draw it myself.
1. Chapter 1

Daughter of Skill

_ Two figures crept through the forest. It was an especially dark night, with no moon and a cloudy sky. "How could you drop a baby you idiot!?" one scolded the other._

_ "I didn't drop her! I just set her down for a moment to readjust the straps on my pack, and then you started griping about me being slow, so when I started after you I forgot her!" The second figure was promptly smacked upside the head._

_ "How could you forget her!? For crying out loud, she's a squirmy, screaming infant, how hard can it be!" The first figure grabbed the second and glared at him threateningly. "The boss sent us to get his daughter, even if we had to kill the thing's mom to take her, which we did! I'm not letting all that effort go to waste! We traveled across all of China for some stupid tiger cub and you just dropped her on the ground and forgot her!" _

_ "I said I didn't drop her!" the second figure insisted again, pulling back. "If I dropped her she would've been dead before we realized she was gone!"_

_ "We've been gone for three days, she's probably dead _now_!" the first figure muttered angrily. "Come on, let's just retrace our steps and find her." The two figures made their way through the trees for another few minutes, before bending down to examine the ground. "This doesn't make any sense..." Their prints led to the right spot, but the cub was nowhere to be found. "Are you sure you put her here?"_

_ "Absolutely! Someone must have come along and-Wait a minute." The second figure's eyes followed a trail that lead away and to the west. He stood and pointed in the direction that the tracks led. "That way! Whoever took her must live somewhere over there." The two figures darted off, following the tracks that they noticed belonged to another tiger. _

_ After traveling for a few miles, they came across a large, ornate palace. "Hey, isn't this the Jade Palace?"_

_ "Yeah, where the Furious Five train alongside the Dragon Warrior! Oh I've always wanted to meet them! Ow!" The second figure was slapped a second time._

_ "We're here to find the boss's daughter, dummy! Not sightsee!" The two figures crept through the palace grounds, quickly finding the barracks and checking through each room for the lost tiger cub. "The tiger master's room is empty!" the first figure reported._

_ "All the others are asleep."_

_ "So where is she?" The second figure shrugged. _

_ "Let's try looking in the palace." they suggested. The first figure nodded, and the pair crept around the outside walls of the Jade Palace. They soon came to a window, and quietly crept up to it. Peering inside, their eyes widened upon finding their objective in the room, which happened to be a kitchen. And not only that, but also in the arms of _someone_. _

_Specifically speaking, Master Tigress._

* * *

Qiao sat atop the Jade Palace roof, gazing up at the starry sky in wonder. The full moon shone brightly, illuminating the night. Her mother had told her that a full moon was the sign of correct time; the time to walk on the beach, hand in hand with someone special. The time to take a moment and talk earnestly with someone dear. In local lore, the time for monsters to make an appearance. But Qiao didn't believe in fantasies such as that. So, if the full moon meant the time was right...what was the time right for?

How was she to spend this special night? The twenty year old allowed her feet to hang over the edge of the roof, kicking her feet back and forth gently. Perhaps it was the night to do nothing? She often longed for time to simply sit and do nothing, not even meditate. But tonight she wanted something special. "Mind if I join you?" Qiao flicked her tail in acknowledgement.

"Sure mom." Tigress sat next to her, wrapping an arm around her daughter.

"What are you doing up here so late? Last I saw you were asleep in bed." Qiao sighed.

"I...kind of was. I just...feel unsettled."

"Unsettled?"

"Yeah."

"You're probably just excited. I was like this too when I officially became a Kung Fu master." Qiao smiled. This day she had been pronounced a master of the Jade Palace and protector of the Valley of Peace. As well as being counted the first of the second generation of the Furious Five. It was an honor that humbled her to the ground; she wasn't technically Tigress's real daughter. But the tiger master would need an heir sooner or later, and Qiao was the perfect choice. Or so her mother told her.

"You really think I'll live up to what people think of you?" Tigress smiled and held Qiao's head beneath her chin lovingly.

"Of course. You've been trained by the best warriors in China, how could they not?" Qiao smiled and giggled.

"Yeah, you make a good point." The two tigers sat on the rooftop for a while, enjoying each other's presence. "Mom?"

"Hm?"

"Do you...would you happen to know...anything about..."

"About what?"

"About...my, other, mom?"

"...I can't say that I do."

"Oh. I just thought...that since you found me..." Qiao trailed off with a shrug. Tigress rubbed her daughter's arm comfortingly.

"I'm sorry." she said. "I know what it's like to...not know who your parents were, or, why they left you." Qiao blinked and looked up at her.

"R...really?" Tigress nodded.

"I was an orphan too. Shifu adopted me from the Bao Gu Orphanage when I was a little girl. He practically saved my life."

"Did you not like the orphanage?" Tigress grimaced for a moment.

"No. I didn't." she replied softly. Qiao looked away.

"Oh, sorry I asked." Tigress gently turned her face back, gently stroking the white fringe around her daughter's face with her thumb.

"No , it's fine." she assured with a smile. "Now, let's go back to bed. Qiao smiled and hugged her mother. Tigress hugged her back, laying her cheek on the younger tiger's forehead.

* * *

Tigress stared up at the sky thoughtfully as she embraced her daughter. She knew how much of a burden it was to never know who one's parents were. She couldn't help but want to protect Qiao from that suffering. But how was she to find her daughter's true parents? Pushing such musings aside, she stood, pulling Qiao up with her. The two tigers returned to the barracks, Tigress making sure her daughter was comfortable in bed before going to her own room. After closing the paper door, she walked over to her window and stared outside for a while.

"What can I do?" she whispered. It was funny really; she was the most powerful of the Furious Five, her skills only topped by Shifu and the Dragon Warrior, and yet for once she was stuck in a situation where she was helpless. She gave a deep sigh, before registering a flick from her ear. Instantly on guard, Tigress raised her head from it's position on her arms and peered keenly into the night. Her fiery eyes shone like rounded flames in the moonlight as she searched for the intruder. No, it was intrud_ers_. She growled lowly, silently almost, then vaulted out the window, landing in a four pawed crouch natural to her kind.

The intruders were close, as if stalking the barracks. She prowled lowly through the grass, soon coming to the edge of the Ironwood Forest. She stood up and pressed her back to one of the trees, glancing around cautiously. A twig snapped to her left, and she froze. Cautiously peeking around the trunk, Tigress spotted two shadowy figures making their way towards the barracks. Her eyes narrowed; they had to be intent on taking something. She crept silently after them, her sharp ears catching their conversation.

"I can't believe he had us _watch_ her for twenty years! What are we, _babysitters_?" one of them complained. Tigress raised a brow; who were they watching?

"Yeah, we've had to wait until she became a _master_ of Kung Fu before bringing her! How does he expect us to transport her _now_?"

"With the rohypnol, dummy! I managed to slip about four milligrams of it into her drink before that panda gave her the glass, she should be out about now. I don't get why she was up on the roof earlier though." Tigress bit back a snarl. Qiao had been drugged? Why hadn't she smelt it? If not Qiao, _she_should have!

"Oh yeah, that's right! So, we just cart her off while she's asleep, and then there can be a reunion!"

"_Reunion_? Tigress thought. "_What's he going on about?_" She crept up behind the two villains, before standing and pinning them against the ground with a snarl. They left out yelp and struggled for a moment. "Who are you?!" she demanded.

"Dude, it's Master Tigress!" one of them squealed. "Oh man, I'm so terrified yet awed right now!" The tiger master rolled her eyes; she never thought she'd meet someone with as much fanboy in him as Po.

"Pipe down, you idiot! Let me handle this!" the other intruder snapped. "Listen, uh, my friend and I here are pretty big fans of the masters of the Jade Palace, and, we just wanted to, you know, get a glimpse of the newest master." Tigress growled and sunk her claws into their shoulders.

"You're here to _kidnap_my daughter!"

"Actually she's Huang's daughter." Tigress raised an eyebrow.

"Who's Huang?"

"Her father, and that's all you need to know!"

* * *

**So, that's chapter 1 of my first multi-chapter KFP story! Some of you viewers may recognize me from my work in the Ice Age Archives, so here I am spreading out! Plus, if you were confused at all while reading this, please check out my two one-shots that lead up to this. The first is titled 'Qiao', and the second is titled 'Training'. Fun side note: all the technique info in 'Training' is from my own personal experience as a student of Tae Kwon Do. Plz leave a review! :D **


	2. Chapter 2

Daughter of Skill

Tigress growled lowly, baring her fangs. "Why has he sent you here!?"

"To bring him his daughter." The tiger snorted.

"Drugging and kidnap wouldn't be my choice of bringing home my only daughter."

"Well...Huang's just afraid she won't want to meet him."

"And why is that?"

"Uh, well, you know; she's lived all her life with another parent and she may not want to leave those whom she's familiar with."

"And she's not going to!" Tigress snarled, eyes blazing. No one was taking Qiao from her, not ever! "I'll let you off with a warning this time. Stay away from my daughter, or you and Huang are going to regret it!" she sneered, fangs glinting in a narrow beam of moonlight. The intruders cringed, whimpering. "Now leave!" With that Tigress stood and pulled the two strangers to their feet, shoving them deeper into the Ironwood Forest with her arms crossed.

They retreated a few steps, before turning back to her and pulling out one sword each; two katanas. The tiger master barely flinched, setting herself into a back stance. She had fought plenty of times against swords, how bad could these two numbskulls be? The two strangers charged at her, blades raised; Tigress took a few steps forward to meet them, ducking when the one on her left swung at her. She slid in between them, sending a short round kick at the back of the first to swing. However, they ducked and swung at her again, and she found herself ducking a second time. She then swept the first down and placed her right foot on the arm holding his sword, then turned to the second assailant.

They took a swipe for her neck, causing her to duck and then pop back up, lifting herself into the air and throwing an aerial short round kick to their head. However they were too fast and ducked just as she had, aiming for her legs this time. She jumped once more, springing forward and grabbing the second attacker's shoulders with her paws and sailing over his head, using her momentum to slam him onto his back, effectively knocking the wind out of him. The first attacker leapt at her, swinging for her ribs. Tigress slid forward and out of the striking range, grabbing the attacker's right shoulder. Before she could sweep them down however, she received a knee to the gutt and doubled over with a groan. She managed to sidestep safely away when they came down at her with the katana and attempted to brush the pain in her gutt aside. But her heart jumped into her throat at the sound of a familiar yell.

"Qiao!" she exclaimed. The younger tiger was battling the second intruder, expertly dodging the swinging katana blade. "Qiao, get back inside!" Tigress commanded, as she dodged another swing herself.

"No, protecting is my duty now, like you! I've gotta' help you stop these guys!" she protested, landing a well aimed side-kick in her attacker's chest, pushing them back so that they slammed into one of the Ironwood trees. "What are you guys, anyway?"

"It doesn't matter, this is too dangerous!" Tigress insisted as the two parties moved deeper into the forest where there shone almost no moonlight.

"How is this too dangerous?" Qiao inquired, catching her opponent with a tiger-jaw to the throat and forcing him up against yet another tree, although none of the four could see very well anymore.

"You don't understand, they're here for you!" Tigress replied, her shout echoing throughout the valley. At that moment, Tigress pulled Qiao out of the blade's path, throwing her towards the Jade Palace. However, this allowed the katana the chance to swipe across Tigress's own arm. To her bewilderment, it was no more than two seconds before she was out.

* * *

The intruders stood panting, weary from the toils of battle. "You got her right?" one of them whispered.

"Yeah, just one little slice on the arm and she was out like a light."

"What happened to the other one? I'm not hearin' anything."

"I don't know, she's probably knocked out or somethin'. Come on, let's take Huang's daughter and get out of here." With that one of the intruders pulled a large sack covered in airholes out of his pack and slid it over the young tiger's body, before tying it off and slinging it over his shoulder. With that the two figures fled, deeper into the forest and towards the hideout of their master.

* * *

The sun shone brightly the next morning, awakening the citizens of the Valley of Peace pleasantly. However, there was one resident whose awakening was the complete opposite of pleasant. Qiao groaned and lifted her head from the dew covered grass, looking around in bewilderment. Why was she in the Ironwood forest rather than the barracks? Specifically speaking, her bed. Her eyes widened upon remembering the night before, and she shot to her feet, orange fur bristling at the memory of the intruders. However, she was suddenly hit with vertigo and stumbled over to one of the great trees, leaning on it to stabilize herself.

Qiao placed a paw to her forehead with a moan, a pounding headache beginning to make its presence known. She gasped and pulled it away upon feeling something wet, and was horrified to see sticky, crimson blood on her paw. She turned back and saw a large rock sitting on the ground, stained red as well. She panted, looking around worriedly, then noticed a deep gash in the bark of the trunk she was leaning against. "They had swords." she muttered, the scene coming back to her. "Mom said to go inside because of the danger...they...they were here for me!" Qiao began searching the trees desperately.

"Mom!" she called out, her voice echoing through the trees. "Mom! Are you there?" She ran deeper into the forest, trying to find some trace of Tigress, looking around wildly. "No, no, no!" She soon had to stop from becoming nauseous, her skull pounding. Qiao sank to her knees dejectedly, face in her paws.

"This is all my fault." she whimpered. "She's gone." Qiao sniffled, then began to cry. "I should have listened and just gone back to the barracks."

"Qiao?" The tiger turned sharply to see a familiar red panda standing behind her.

"Shifu!" she exclaimed, reaching out and crushing him in a tear filled hug. He had never liked being called 'grandpa', and Qiao had easily learned to call him by name. After gagging for a moment, Shifu wrapped his tiny arms around her neck, patting the back of her head. "How did you get here?"

"Well, my ears do more than make me look ridiculous." The humorous reply made the tiger chuckle slightly. "I came out here as fast as I could." Shifu continued, pulling away slightly to look his granddaughter in the eyes. "What happened? I heard you calling for Tigress." Qiao sniffled for a moment before replying.

"There were intruders. They had swords."

"Tigres can handle swords, and so can you."

"I know but, she said they were here for me, and she told me to go back inside where I would be safe. But I didn't listen, and, I just know she got hurt somehow, and now she's gone!" Before she could start sobbing again, Shifu gently held her chin with one hand and gave her a serious look.

"Qiao, we will find her!" he insisted. "Can you describe either of the intruders?"

"Well, it was too dark to see them, we were deep in the forest, but by the sound of their voices I'd say they were both male."

"Were they other tigers?"

"I...I guess so. I don't know."

"What type of sword did they wield?"

"Katanas." Shifu nodded thoughtfully. "Did you hear them say anything about where they'd be taking you if they had succeeded?"

"I...I heard them say something about a guy called 'Huang'." Shifu's jaw dropped and his eyes practically bugged out of his skull. "I take it you're familiar with him?" The tiny red panda gripped the tiger's shoulders tightly.

"Huang is the leader of the deadliest bandit gang in all of China!" he exclaimed. "If he has captured Tigress, then no doubt it's for ransom."

"But I haven't seen a ransom note anywhere, and besides she said they were here for me."

"Either way he's doing it as a little 'fundraiser' to land more yen in his pocket. And if we don't play along with it, Tigress will suffer dearly." Qiao gasped. She would never let anything happen to her mother! A glare set into her features.

"Huang is so going down!" she thought venomously. "What do we do?" she asked seriously, drying the tears from her eyes and standing.

"First we must gather the rest of the five and Po, then we will discuss what we will do."

* * *

Qiao burst into the kitchen, startling the masters gathered there to eat. "Tigress has been kidnapped!"

"What?!" was the collective shriek in reply.

"Tigress is gone?" Viper asked in shock.

"Who took her?" Monkey asked.

"We don't know exactly who," Shifu answered upon walking in. "but whoever they are, they work for Huang.", Viper, Mantis, and Monkey gasped.

"Uh, question?" Po asked, raising the ladle he was cooking with into the air. "Who's Huang?"

"A vicious, bandit gang leader. His gang of tigers are the most feared in China and most notorious for kidnap and ransom." Qiao tuned to him in surprise.

"You didn't tell me they were tigers." Shifu blinked.

"Uh, must have slipped my mind." he dismissed.

"So we're going after this guy, right?" Po asked. "No one kidnaps a member of the Furious Five and get's away with it!" he declared, punching one fist in the air for emphasis. "Right?"

"No, they don't." Qiao replied.

"Crane, pack a travel bag and scout ahead of us. Tigress's kidnappers couldn't have gone too far by now. Meet up with us if Tigress reaches Huang's headquarters and we don't catch up within twenty four hours." Shifu looked around the kitchen upon not hearing a reply. "Has anyone seen Crane?"

"I think he's still in bed." Mantis replied. "He went to sleep really quick last night." Qiao's eyes widened.

"Uh oh."

"'Uh oh' what?" Po asked.

"Last night, the two who took Tigress, they said something about trying to drug me with rohypnol. They slipped it into my glass before Po gave it to me. Only...I don't think it was my glass." Shifu sighed.

"We'll just have to take him along with us on foot. Once he wakes up and rights himself. we'll send him ahead.

"So wait, you know where Huang's headquarters are?" Qiao asked.

"We watch him routinely, waiting to see if there's ever a chance for us to intercept him while he's out." Viper replied.

"Problem is, the guy plans every detail of every crime of his from the very center of his hideout!" Mantis added.

"Kung Fu masters we may be, there's no way we can reach him through all his defenses." Monkey added.

"Well what about when all his cronies go out to do his dirty work?" Qiao inquired.

"There are very few that Huang trusts to do his bidding, and they are the only ones who ever leave the hideout." Shifu replied. "Going after Tigress will be our most dangerous mission yet; our only hope of a smooth rescue mission is to intercept the two transporting her before they reach Huang."

"And if we don't?" Qiao asked.

"Then we need a plan."

* * *

**So that's chapter two everyone! Finally, some butt-kicking in this chapter! Yes! XD Hope you all are enjoying this! I will update as soon as possible! And feel free to check out my collection of Ice Age stories. ;) Plz review this chapter if you've read it, cause I know for a fact that the 39 people who read chapter 1 didn't leave a single review, and it's really annoying. **


	3. Chapter 3

Daughter of Skill

Shifu, Qiao, and the masters minus Po and Crane were in the red panda's study, peering intently at two scrolls that were unrolled across the desk. One was a map of China itself, while the second, a much smaller one, was laid over one specific spot in China, as though you had zoomed in on that area. Shifu tapped the smaller map with his finger. "This is the most detailed map of Huang's camp we've made. Crane's had to take many flights over it, often not close enough to get very many details." He began tapping on the numerous red dots that seemed to flood the small piece of parchment. "These dots represent sentries, which, in terms of Huang's camp, mean bandits highly skilled in numerous sword forms."

He then moved closer to the center of the map, inside a large, blue box. "The blue line represents the land boundaries." He tapped on a smaller, tighter square of orange. "The orange lines represent the outer borders of the building. In between these two is a mix of red and green dots. The green dots indicate two archers each."

"So there's two archers in between each sword master?" Qiao summed up.

"Precisely." Shifu replied. "Inside the building there are only three actual guards since every bandit belonging to Huang is skilled in either sword forms or Kung Fu." He placed one finger on one out of three yellow dots surrounding a white dot in the very center of the building. "They are Huang's personal guards. Two are the offspring of some of his strongest, most clever bandits, and the third is a Kung Fu Master who went rogue." Qiao gasped.

"Who were they?" Shifu sighed gravely.

"He was China's most renowned master of the Tiger Style; Takeshi."

"Why did he go rogue?"

"No one knows. He was pure of heart, bold, and a warrior. Some say Huang convinced Takeshi to join him by planting pride and vanity in his heart, turning him away from good."

"All those who loved and respected Takeshi mourned when he changed sides and joined the bandits." Viper added quietly in her naturally soft voice.

"Such an event caused great grief. And is one of the reasons we wish to infiltrate Huang's camp." Qiao's eyes widened at Shifu. "We plan to liberate him. And perhaps, bring some light back to China." Qiao nodded. "But first we must rescue Tigress."

"Why not get them both at the same time?" Everyone blinked at the new master.

"Uh, how do you plan to get Tigress back from two of Huang's cronies _before_ they reach the hideout, and _then_ bust into the hideout and free Takeshi without getting caught?" Mantis questioned.

"Simple." Qiao replied. "We combine the efforts; let Tigress get to Huang (she can handle herself) and at night we slip in and break her out, then all of us can take on the challenge of freeing Takeshi." Silence reigned for a few moments. Master Shifu opened his mouth, looking ready to contradict, when Po burst in carrying the unconscious Crane with him.

"So, what's the plan guys?" he asked eagerly.

"We're putting too missions together." Qiao announced with a proud smirk, placing her paws on her hips. "We wait until Huang has Tigress _and_ Master Takeshi before we attack him at night." Master Shifu attempted to speak numerous times, but Qiao gave him no chance to oppose.

"Awesome!" Po replied. "We can sneak in disguised as guards and break Tigress loose undercover!" Shifu chuckled.

"Panda, you do not _really_ think that sneaking in will be that easy? Surely someone as sly and skilled as Huang wouldn't arm his guards with a _password_? A _gesture_? Something to _prevent_ what you just suggested from happening?" Po seemed to mull that over for a moment.

"Okay, that's totally possible..." he muttered, before snapping back into positivity. "We'll learn the password!"

"How do you expect to do _that_?" Monkey asked.

"Well, we can change the plan a little bit. We could intercept the bandits carrying Tigress before they reach Huang, get the password from them after freeing Tigress-"

"Oh yeah, they're just gonna' _give_ it to you." Mantis jabbed.

"Okay, so there may be torture involved! Point is, we stop them from reaching Huang, save Tigress, and get the password, gesture, whatever it is! Then we make our way to Huang's hideout and get this Master Takeshi guy out, then we come back as heroes!" Po finished by striking a Kung Fu stance, accidentally dropping Crane in the process. Shifu sent him an unimpressed look. "Uh...right I'll...pick Crane up now."

"Come on Shifu." Qiao reasoned. "Even you have to admit Po's plan is solid. We could totally pull this off!" the red panda sighed deeply.

"Qiao...I'm just worried what will befall you on this mission." The tiger's eyes widened.

"Me?" she asked, placing a paw on her chest. "W...why would you be so concerned about _me_?"

"It is dangerous to be a tiger in China. That was why I thought it best _I_ took Tigress in from Bao Gu."

"Wha...why?" Qiao looked around at the other masters, who refused to meet her gaze. Except for Po, who proved his ignorance of the topic by holding his hands up and taking a step back, shaking his head. Qiao turned back to Shifu. "Shifu, _what_ are you going on about?"

"The reason China lost hope when Takeshi joined Huang, the reason tigers are considered the most powerful and feared race in all of China...is because, not only are they powerful, but every last one of them known is in Huang's gang. They are the most advanced group of bandits in all of China; rumors are already going around in their own camp that Huang plans to become emperor. They are seen as the villains of China, and any not in league with Huang, good or bad, are seen as a threat, as a danger, and are hunted in numerous places." Shifu paused, no longer looking at his granddaughter. The room was cloaked in an ominous silence. "The Valley of Peace is one of the few places not tainted by the stereotype that any and all tigers are villains. Though many fear Tigress, they also respect and look up to her as a Kung Fu master, as their protector."

"I was able to save her from a dark, _dark_ path that she had already begun to follow while at Bao Gu. But not all of her, of _your_, race are so lucky, to be given such a place of honor. When Takeshi, China's one 'good' tiger, known and loved by all, turned against the people, China fell into despair." Shifu finally turned back to Tigress's daughter. Qiao was staring at him with wide, horrified eyes. He didn't speak for a moment, for once nervous and tense with the situation. "Your mother came to terms with this truth long ago; she has traveled out of the Valley of Peace many times. There are multiple places in China where she has earned the same regarding from others as she has from the citizens here."

"Many have learned that Takeshi is not the last tiger on the side opposite if evil." Qiao then spoke, quietly, as if the whole idea Shifu was speaking of was still sinking in.

"But there _are_ places where my mother...where _I_...am considered a monster?" Shifu's eyes widened, as though the term brought back painful memories. Qiao didn't know or care why at the moment.

"Not a monster." he assured quickly, stepping forward and laying his tiny hand on her arm. Qiao flinched and stepped back, shaking her head slowly.

"There are people who consider me a horrible being, who haven't even _met_ me." she muttered.

"Qiao, it's _not_ as bad as it seems." Tears began to glisten in the young tiger's eyes, and she turned away, running out of the room. The masters watched her go, Shifu's ears and eyes lowering to the floor.

"I should have told her sooner." he whispered. "I should have had _Tigress_ tell her!"

"Master?" Shifu's eyes traveled up to see Po in mid bow to him, one fist punched in an open palm. "Permission to comfort her? Alone?" Shifu sighed, then nodded.

* * *

**Wow, even I didn't see that coming...poor Qiao. Her mother's gone, and her grandfather just told her that most tigers are considered evil. Don't worry, things are gonna' get very juicy as the story progresses. ;) Plz leave a review and tell me what you think!**


	4. Chapter 4

Daughter of Skill

Qiao slammed her paper door shut and collapsed face first into her pillow, tears leaking steadily out of her eyes. The truth had hit her hard, probably harder than her mother. She had always dreamed of people looking up to her as they did Tigress, and her mother had always encouraged her to strive or such a goal. It had always been important to Qiao that she succeeded at this, but she was never totally sure why. Now, as she laid on her bed alone, she had time to reflect on such musings. Perhaps it was because she sought for purpose and recognition? She had been an orphan after all, maybe she just didn't want to be anonymous her entire life.

Maybe she wanted to be known as _somebody_ besides the little cub that Master Tigress had found in the Ironwood Forest. But would the people of China accept her as anything _good_? They had accepted Tigress, so surely they would accept her. But after what Shifu had revealed to her, she was no longer sure. Qiao sobbed quietly into her pillow, heart clenching. She needed her mother; Tigress would know just what to say to make her feel better. Thinking of her adoptive mother once more, the young tiger rolled over onto her side for a moment, gently tracing the design on her forehead.

Tigress had once told her that every tiger had their own stripes, mostly shown by the design on their heads. Qiao's design consisted of a large dot in the middle of her forehead surrounded by wavy stripes that pointed towards her eyes. The action soothed Qiao slightly, enough to lessen her sobs into soft whimpers. She curled up in the bed, considering pulling the blanket over herself. Someone suddenly knocked quietly on the wooden frame of the door. Qiao's ears perked, and she turned her watery, red eyes to the door. "Who is it?" she called hoarsely.

"It's Po." The panda opened her door and peeked in. "You okay?" Qiso sniffled and wiped her eyes, turning away slightly.

"Not really." she replied. Po stepped inside and closed the door, before sitting down on the foot of her bed. He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, rubbing it gently.

"I know how hard this is." he said after a while.

"Really?" Qiao asked in a quiet voice.

"Yeah I mean...people don't _hate pandas_ or anything. At least not any more." Qiao turned to her uncle.

"You mean...people didn't used to like pandas either?"

"Well, not exactly. There was only _one_ guy who didn't." Qiao sat up, dangling her legs over the bed.

"Who wouldn't like _pandas_?" she asked. Po chuckled.

"There was this peacock guy," he began, his tone signaling that he was about to launch into a story. Qiao made herself comfortable, eyed trained on him. "his name was Shen. He wanted to control all of China, by conquering it with the power of one thing. One thing that made his home, Gongmen City, different from the rest of China." Qiao leaned forward, eager to know what one weapon could be considered so _powerful_. "It was called..._gunpowder_."

Qiao tilted her head at the unfamiliar word. "Gunpowder?" she asked. Po nodded.

"Yes. Shen's parents, the emperor and the empress peacocks, used gunpowder to bless their city with fireworks."

"What are fireworks?" Po leaned his head back with a sigh.

"Aw man, how do I describe 'em? They're the most beautiful lights in the world; luminous, bright, reds, greens, yellows, pinks, purples, blues, everything! They shoot up into the sky and explode like a colorful bomb! So awesome!" Qiao giggled, enthralled by the description. "But anyway; Shen saw another use for the gunpowder. With its aid, he was able to create a weapon that China had never seen before."

"It shot large, fiery hot balls of metal at a million miles per hour, a sure killing machine! Everyone thought its creation meant the _death_, of Kung Fu." Qiao's eyes widened. She couldn't imagine her world without Kung Fu; it was who she was, it was her life!

"How did you stop it?" she asked. Po smiled. He clasped his palms together.

"Inner peace." he replied.

"How does inner peace stop a fiery ball of metal?"

"By giving youth the strength you didn't have before." Qiao chuckled.

"Now you sound like Shifu."

"Well, _some_ of the stuff he yammers about has to be useful, right?" This time they both giggled.

"Yeah I guess so. Otherwise he wouldn't be a master." Qiao replied. "So, this Shen guy; why didn't he like pandas?"

"Well, his parents were worried about his blossoming evilness, so they asked a soothsayer to tell them Shen's future. The soothsayer said that he would be defeated by a warrior of black and white. So, Shen went to the panda village and tried to kill them all off." Qiao gasped.

"That's horrible!" Po shrugged.

"Yeah it was but, if he hadn't done that, then I would have never left the village and became the Dragon Warrior." Qiao looked at the floorboards. "Sure it's kinda' lonely sometimes, being the last known panda. But, I guess that makes the whole 'Dragon Warrior' thing all the more special." Po shuffled closer towards Qiao, wrapping an arm around her. The tiger laid her head on his shoulder with a sigh. "Kinda' like it's special to go from an orphan to totally awesome Kung Fu master."

Qiao blinked and looked up at him. Po gave her a soft smile and held her chin. "Qiao; you and Tigress are some of the luckiest people in all of China. You've _both_ gone from zero to hero, just like me!" he said, placing a paw on his chest. I lived and worked at a noodle shop, with my adoptive dad, who was a _goose_!" Qiao nodded.

"You told me before."

"But did you understand the full awesomeness of it?" Po asked slyly. Qiao couldn't help but chuckle.

"I guess?" she replied with a shrug.

"Do you see the similarities between you, me, and Tigress?" Qiao thought for a moment, before nodding.

"Yeah. I do now." Po smiled.

"Awesome. So, I think Shifu wanted me to get Crane's travel pack ready for when he wakes up and we send him off. Wanna' help me?" the panda asked as he stood up. Qiao stood as well with a smile, drying the last of her tears.

"Sure."

* * *

**So, that's chapter 4 guys! I decided that PO and Qiao should have a little bonding moment. ;) Thank you to MBSAVfan1 and M4dG4rl who have reviewed the story so far! Hey, you forty-something others who have read it; COULD YOU PLZ REVIEW? **


	5. Chapter 5

Daughter of Skill

Once the masters had prepared themselves, the residents of the Jade Palace made their departure. After descending the thousand steps, Qiao turned to look up at her lifelong home. Before that place, before Tigress, before the Furious Five, before Shifu, before Po, without that sacred palace of Kung Fu teachings; she had, _was_ nothing. And she couldn't help but feel that if she left, she might lose it all. Shaking her head, she adjusted her pack, and caught up with the rest of the masters. It was nearly noon now, they would probably skip lunch and break for dinner late evening. Qiao couldn't help but want to skip everything and just find her mother.

She walked beside a slithering Viper, comforted by the female presence. The snake had been a wonderful aunt to her, and now Qiao needed comfort more than ever. "She's strong." Qiao looked down upon hearing the quiet voice. "Tigress won't let anyone do anything to her. She'll be fine." Viper gently rubbed up against one of the younger tiger's legs as she slithered along.

"We'll get her back." Qiao smiled.

"Yeah. I know we will." she replied confidently. Viper smiled back at her.

* * *

Po walked at the front beside Master Shifu, who was carrying a scroll containing the map they would need to follow. Po had Crane slung over one shoulder, and the avian's flight pack over the other, his own pack on his back. "So, exactly how long is Crane gonna' be out?" he asked the red panda.

"Twenty four hours since taking the drug, so a little under a day. Then we should give him a short while to recuperate before sending him ahead."

"Oh, okay." The two walked in silence. "So ah, do ya' think we'll catch up with Tigress anytime soon?" Shifu sighed.

"Honestly, I do not know. Huang's bandits have a headstart on us, and they're much more familiar with the path than we are. Things may end up going according to your's and Qiao's plan."

"You mean you didn't want to follow our plan?" the panda asked, offended.

"Personally no, but it may turn out to be our best option. We _must_ get Tigress back, even if we do not rescue Takeshi this round."

"Whoa whoa wait, this _round_?"

"Do not think, panda, that this is the only brush with Huang that the members of the Jade Palace will ever have. We have a goal of knocking him down, so to speak, and putting him where he belongs. _That_, will take time." Po gulped. Long excursions weren't his strong point, even as the Dragon Warrior.

* * *

The seven masters covered as much distance as they could, leaving the Valley of Peace behind even after it had become a mere speck in the distance. Even Shifu seemed surprised by how much distance they had traveled. The group bedded down for the night in a large cave, Po taking over the duty of cooking dinner. Qiao sat at the mouth of the cave, looking out at the sunset. She didn't stir when Mantis hopped onto her shoulder, too engrossed in thinking about her mother. "Hey."

"Hey."

"You know she excelled at nerve-strikes after that incident with Tai Lung." the insect commented. "Did she ever teach you any of that?"

"No, not really. She talked about it a little bit."

"Well, here's a tip; there's a nerve right in between the eyes." Mantis said, softly poking the said area on Qiao's face. "You poke that, real hard, and you'll win the fight." Qiao smiled.

"Thanks Mantis." she said.

"No problem." The insect turned to jump off her shoulder. "I thought you might want to know; it's Tigress's favorite technique." And then he was gone. Qiao turned to look at the masters gathered around Po's cooking fire. After taking one last glance outside, she stood and made her way over to an empty spot, grabbed a bowl, and sat down. She struck up a conversation with Viper until dinner, after which everyone went to bed.

Each master laid out on their own bedroll in a circle around the fire. Qiao laid close to Po, slipping into dreams if her mother's return.

* * *

Bang sat huddled against their campfire with his accomplice, Chang, and Huang's daughter. Thankfully, she hadn't woken up yet, but they didn't have long before she would start squirming during their travels. They needed to speed up and they couldn't take their eyes off the sack for a single moment. "I bet the boss is gonna' be real happy to see his little girl." Chang commented. Bang nodded, staring intently into the flames, his eyes glowing like jade green embers, orange and black striped fur covered with a pale sheen from the moonlight.

"She'll be a wonderful help with the organization and all." he replied, before smirking with a somewhat evil hue. "Just like that Takeshi guy." Chang chuckled lowly, parting his lips in a grin to reveal to rows of pearly, sharp teeth, his amber eyes glinting dangerously in the moonlight. Bang suddenly gave a concentrated frown to the flickering flames of their campfire.

"Something about that Master Tigress though...her face just seemed familiar." he muttered. Chang rolled his eyes.

"Well _duh_, we see her _everywhere_. _Literally_! She's bloody famous all across China along with her other Kung Fu Master buddies." Bang shook his head.

"No, it's not like that. It's like...I've seen someone who looks an awful lot like her. Like..." The south china tiger struggled for an appropriate explanation. "like I've seen a parent of her's somewhere before." Chang scoffed and waved a paw.

"Impossible!" he stated. "_Everybody_ knows Master Tigress was an orphan, adopted and trained by Master Shifu. Her parents were probably hunted down, like most _others_." Bang nodded. _Others_ were tigers that, even if they weren't technically 'good', had refused to join Huang's bandit gang.

"Yeah, you're probably right." he agreed, then patted the sack containing Huang's daughter. "We should get some sleep; it won't be much longer before miss 'Bandit Princess' here wakes up and starts giving us trouble." Chang nodded and laid down on his bedroll, breathing deeply and quickly dosing off. Bang stayed awake a little while longer, smiling softly at the sack, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Not too much longer and you'll be all _mine_." he whispered eagerly, before finally settling down to sleep himself. Because unknown to Chang, and Huang's daughter, and and even that mysterious Master Tigress, Huang had promised Bang his only child's paw in marriage.

* * *

**Well, things just got interesting didn't they? ;D Thank you to MBSAVfan1, M4dG4rl, and rascalblack12 who have reviewed this story so far! Everyone else; PLZ REVIEW! **


	6. Chapter 6

Daughter of Skill

The six masters traveled for another week, sticking to the wilderness as they knew the bandits were doing. Qiao spent much of the time thinking of her mother, running over the many memories she had of the older tiger in her mind. Whenever they stopped for a rest she would distance herself from the others and train, practicing the many techniques she had been taught and mentally going over her mother's many lessons on perfect execution. The other masters trained as well of course, but none were able to engage with Qiao. Not until their eighth day of travel. As the young tiger practiced her hurricane kick, backgrounded by the sunset, Po approached her, breaking away from the other training montage of animals. The panda punched one fist into an open palm and bowed with a greeting smile.

"Hey Qiao." he said calmly. The tiger bowed back in the same fashion.

"Hey Uncle Po."

"How's the hurricane kick coming?"

"I can't seem to get the jump in." Qiao admitted sheepishly.

"Ah, don't feel bad. I had trouble with that too." Po assured. "One thing Shifu told me over and over again to do is turn your shoulders as you jump." Qiao nodded, mulling the information over. "Anyway, I came over cause Shifu wanted me to let everyone know we'll be stopping at a village soon for supplies." The tiger tensed, tail thrashing behind her. "You okay?" Qiao nodded.

"Yeah...just, nervous." she muttered.

"You know you're a _lot_ more open than Tigress. Have you ever noticed?" Qiao chuckled.

"I guess."

* * *

An orange and black striped pelt slowly walked into the small village of Tongren, its long tail gently curling around the owner's right leg nervously. The rest of the tiger's company made their way down the center of the village nonchalantly, seemingly calm and ignoring the stares from the village folk. The red panda at the front of the odd procession kept his eyes forward; his ears however twitched slightly in all directions, waiting to sense an approach should one take place. A large black and white panda stood somewhat protectively beside the tiger, a gentle paw squeezing her right arm. Mingled around the three animals were a green snake, slithering along the tiger's left side, a golden monkey knuckle-walking beside the red panda, and a crane wearing a rice hat was flying low above their heads. The villagers of Tongren had never before been visited by the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior, but had heard many tales of them from other travelers. They were nervous not because of the greatness of the Furious Five, nor the hidden power in the tiny frame of Grand Master Shifu, nor the legendary power of the Dragon Warrior.

No, they were afraid of the tiger who walked amongst them.

The one said to be the ferocious, slightly temperamental Master Tigress. Although she did look a bit young for the role, they knew of no other tiger who would travel with the greatest Kung Fu Masters in all of China. The morality of the bunch was one thing they were unsure of due to their feline companion. However, as the group of six made their way through the village, the tigress made no mischief, and rather kept to herself. So by the time they had disappeared into a small grocer's, the village felt at peace once more and life continued as per normal.

* * *

Qiao felt somewhat calmer as they entered the small shop, now that no one was staring at her. Shifu led the group to a small counter at the back of the store where a sheep was leafing through a book. They looked up upon their approach with a smile. "Hello, how may I help you?" the sheep asked in a feminine voice, looking over their procession. She gasped loudly and flinched upon seeing Qiao, who lowered her head and looked away.

"We're traveling though, and we happened to be low on food." Shifu replied, seemingly unfazed. The sheep nodded, regaining her composure.

"Yes of course." She extended a hoof. "Please, look around and tell me if you find anything you'd like to purchase." The masters nodded and dispersed, looking around at the many crates and shelves full of food. Qiao's eyes however were caught by a tapestry hanging on one of the walls, and she made her way over to examine it. "That belonged to my great-grandmother. It's been handed down throughout my family for many generations."

She nodded to the sheep, who had wandered over beside her. "So, you must be the famous Master Tigress; I've heard you enjoy tofu." the sheep continued, apparently over the initial shock of seeing the tiger. "I have some crates of it stacked over this way." Qiao smiled softly down at the shopkeeper.

"Thank you, but I'm not the master you speak of." she replied softly. The sheep blinked in confusion. "Master Tigress is my adoptive mother. I'm her daughter." The young tiger punched her fist into an open palm and bowed. "My name is Master Qiao." Grinning toothily she continued, "But normally I just prefer Qiao."

Although seeming slightly frightened by the small glimpse of Qiao's teeth, the sheep smiled and nodded. "Ah, a pleasure to meet one of the second generation. China will need protection long after the Furious Five have departed." Qiao stood properly, eyes downcast. "Have I offended you?"

"Oh no," Qiao assured. "it's just...the reason we're traveling is because my mother was kidnapped by two of those working for Huang." The sheep nodded.

"My deepest apologies. A bit ironic, if I may say."

"Yes, I suppose so." The two stood in silence for a small while. "You mentioned tofu?" Qiao finally asked. "Master Tigress _did_ raise me to have a taste for it." The two females smiled at each other, and the sheep turned to lead her over to a stack of crates across the small shop.

"Yes, quite a bit actually. I can give you a discount, if it would make your journey any easier."

"Oh thank you, but it would be no trouble for me to pay full price."

* * *

Qiao smiled as she and the rest of the masters left the small shop, grateful for the small ounce of friendliness she had found, despite the fact that at first the sheep was clearly terrified of her. She took a deep breath and tried to shake off the stares directed at her as they made their way out of the village. However, her eyes caught a shadow moving quickly along the side of one building, and her tail instantly became bottlebrushy. Something was amiss, _awfully_ amiss. And it didn't appear that the rest of her company sensed it. Except for Shifu; he had been the one to teach her to wait before striking. Another shadow appeared as they walked along, this time on the other side of the road.

Qiao's claws extended of their own accord and her ears laid back, her pupils dilating. She had an uncanny sense for trouble, and right now, it was creeping silently along beside them, waiting to strike. Her tail swished slowly, dangerously, from side to side, her mind set on how many different ways she could pin her adversary to the ground. _Humiliatingly_. It wasn't long before the first one struck, jumping out from between two buildings to her right and raising a large blacksmith hammer. No one was beside her now, she was at the very back. In one fluid motion, she reached up and grabbed them by the ears, then slammed their face into the dirt and rammed her knee in between their shoulder blades.

As they attempted to cough and breathe, she let out a low growl that lasted only a moment, barely parting her teeth. She noted with curiosity that her attacker was a wolf, with light grey fur and a dark black ruff that went from the back of his neck down to his shoulders. Pressing his face further into the dirt, she demanded, "Who are you?"

* * *

**So how was that? Thank you to MBSAVfan1, M4dG4rl, and 'Guest' for reviewing the last chapter! All who read plz review! **


	7. Chapter 7

Daughter of Skill

Another wolf leaped out from the left side of the path, but was instantly paralyzed by Shifu sharply jabbing the tip of his staff into the canine's temple. The second wolf fell limp to the ground, where Po promptly sat on him. The red panda master nodded towards the tiger, "Continue Qiao." Qiao pressed her knee harder into the first wolf's shoulders.

"Well? What's your name?"

"They call me _Juéwàng Shǐzhě_." he muttered, trying to glare at the tigress out of the corner of his eyes.

"'Despair Bringer'." Qiao muttered. "A bit lame if you ask me. But fitting, considering you'd be the biggest, baddest thing in a village like this." The wolf growled lowly, but Qiao only pushed his face into the dirt harder. "But I didn't ask for your _title_, idiot. Let me make it a bit clearer to you; tell me your _birth_ name."

"I'm afraid I haven't made it a habit to give my _birth_ name out to random _tigers_ whom I meet on the street." It was Qiao's turn to growl lowly.

"Normally I would be no better than _you_, wolf, but as an individual I happen to be an exception." The canine gave a short, bark-like laugh.

"_Exception_? Since when is there an _exception_? Tigers are the top villains of China, as well as the top predators. What makes _you_ an exception?" Qiao's claws dug into the wolf's ears, causing him to wince and let out a whimper. She bent her head down near to her paws, teeth bared as she whispered.

"Her _name_ is Master Tigress. She may be considered a monster, but she's more _noble_ than the peacocks who once ruled Gongmen City, if you were to ask for _my_ opinion." The wolf blinked and turned to look up at her in surprise.

"Wait, if you're not the legendary Master Tigress...then who _are_ you?" Qiao rolled her eyes with a sigh and punched the back of the canine's head, effectively rendering him unconscious.

She then stood and brushed her vest off, muttering, "Why does _no one_ in _China_ know who I am?"

"Very good Qiao." Shifu said as he seemed to materialize beside her. The young tiger nodded.

"What should we do with Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum?" she asked, gesturing to the wolf she had taken out and the one Po was still sitting on.

"We'll turn them in to the local authorities. Then we can continue looking for Tigress." This agreed, the six masters gathered the two wolves and followed Shifu. Qiao tried to ignore the stares that once again bored into her. Only now, they seemed much more amazed than fearful. Much more...appreciative.

* * *

Bang grinned to himself as he and Chang jogged through the wilderness, Huang's daughter slung over his shoulder. They had been traveling for weeks now, and were halfway across China. Why Huang had set up his base on the eastern edge of China and then let his daughter get all the way to the Western half was beyond him, but he wasn't about to complain. All this trouble was worth it if it meant a beautiful bride for himself. "_And of course an heir_." he thought with an ever widening grin. Presently, a moan was heard from the sack he was carrying, and he gave a sigh. "_Here comes the hard part._" he grumbled mentally.

"Wha...what's going on?" came the feminine mumble.

"Don't trouble yourself with details." he replied. "Just keep quiet until we get you home."

"Home? What, wait, who are you?!" The sack squirmed on Bang's shoulder, causing him to stop and get a better grip on it.

"Just chill and enjoy the ride." he said, before a sinister smile spread across his face. "_Sweetheart_."

"Who are you calling _sweetheart_?" came the angry exclamation." Bang sighed and rolled his eyes, continuing on.

"You'll find out soon enough."

* * *

**Sorry this chapter was like, puny. Thank you to M4dG4rl for reviewing chapter 6! Plz review! :) **


	8. Chapter 8

Daughter of Skill

Qiao lay awake on their tenth day of travel, gazing up at the stars. Shifu had changed his mind about Crane; instead of keeping a constant watch over the bandits, the avian would only fly ahead to them at night, and report in the morning on their and Tigress's whereabouts. Po seemed a little upset at the fact that he still had to carry Crane all day while he slept, but it made Qiao chuckle. She still worried for her mother however; some instinct just told her that their situation had gone from bad to worse. They still had weeks of travel yet to go, and they appeared to not be gaining any on the bandits. According to Crane, the two parties were moving at the same speed. No matter how she tossed and turned, the queasy feeling in her stomach wouldn't go away.

Something was awfully wrong, again. But this time, there was no fast way for her to fix whatever it was. Something was stirring far away, waiting for her. Maybe it was across China, maybe it was across time. Whatever it was, Qiao couldn't sleep because it was _incessantly_ pestering her. She groaned and flopped onto her stomach, her face pressed into her pillow. "Ugh, mom, I need you."

* * *

Tigress was outraged. The sack was too thick to pierce with her claws, the two bandits who had captured her were showing no sign of giving her any food or water even after three weeks of traveling, and- "I know a song that get's on everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves! I know a song that get's on everybody's nerves, and this is how it goes!" Tigress let out another growl. The bandit who wasn't carrying her had been singing the same _stinking_ song for the past _two hours_. It had been grating on her nerve's for half that time.

"Chang, two things." the bandit carrying her (rudely slung over his shoulder, she might add) interrupted his musical partner. For once Tigress had reason to like him. "One; that song has been on my nerves since you started singing it. Two; I'm starting to think that Huang's daughter is going to tear open this sack and kick me in the head just because I'm closer to her than you." Tigress chuckled for a moment, before her eyes widened. These two numbskulls...though that _she_ was _Qiao_?

"_This isn't good._" she thought. They were bringing her to Huang for sure! No doubt he'd use their mistake to his advantage and hold her for ransom. She had to escape. Tigress began thrashing once more, desperate to get back to her daughter. "Let me go!" she demanded. The only reply she received was a slight jostle as the one carrying her (Bang, was it?) readjusted his hold on her.

"Uh, I don't think so. I'm not enduring this song alone." Bang replied, as Chang had started singing the extremely annoying tune again. Tigress grumbled, suddenly finding the idea of kicking Bang upside the head very soothing.

"_I'll find you Qiao._" she mentally promised her absent daughter. "_And once I do, I'm gonna' turn these two into our personal training dummies._"

* * *

A large, south china tiger sat alone in a small room, lit only by a single oil lamp. He wore a dark green tunic, with gold trim around the bottom edge, criss-crossing neckline, and sleeve cuffs. A tiger's face, made of golden thread, adorned the back of the tunic, while the front was occupied by a yin-yang symbol of gold and navy blue thread. A black sash tied around his waist acted a belt. The male's forehead stripes were diagonally crossed, with one thick stripe running downwards through them all and ending at the very tip of his nose. The orange fraction of his fur was of a dark, sinister shade, his eyes a demonic red shade. Eyes he hoped had been passed on.

Huang lazily traced his claws over a map of China, the sharp, natural weapons circling the dot that signified the location of the Jade Palace. He smirked softly, red eyes closing half-way as somewhat fond thoughts ran through his mind. His plan for overthrowing the emperor was going well, the Furious Five were no doubt on their way to his hideout to retrieve their stolen comrade, and Huang himself was waiting for the delivery of a precious package. His precious, precious daughter; on her way to him now in the care of two of his most loyal bandits. He had been at first afraid he would lose her after her mother had fled the base, the cub not yet having been born. But his avian spies had kept watch of her, and once the child, a girl, had come into the world, he had sent Bang and Chang, with a supply of nutrients for the newborn tiger, to retrieve her at all costs. Sadly, she had been obtained by Master Tigress while they were in the middle of their journey.

But he had found use in the supposed 'setback'; now, fully grown at twenty years old, his daughter was a master in the art of Kung Fu; she was even more useful than he could have imagined. Huang closed his eyes completely as he imagined the undoubtable beauty she would be, her skill, her resemblance to him; she would be the perfect heir to his organization. He sighed deeply, opening his eyes to stare at the map once more. His precious little girl, finally coming home. He arose from his chair and exited the room, walking down a rock, torch lit corridor. Opening another door, he found himself in the room he had prepared for his daughter's arrival. He gazed critically at the small space, wishing to give his offspring something a bit larger and...grander.

But it was all he could do for now. The walls were painted a lovely shade of crimson, with a one-person bed in the middle, its head against the wall farthest from him. It was adorned with royal blue bedclothes, a velvet, dark red pillow standing out from the rest of the bed, with gold trimmings. A bit out of the ordinary, but Huang thought his daughter could use an imaginative environment. The closet was small, containing three pairs of leggings, three vest tops, and a three full length dresses. Selecting the royal blue one with silver trimmings like his own, (for his spies had told him his daughter favored blue) he laid it out gently on the bed, before turning to a mahogany vanity set beside the bed. It contained a facial mirror, a jewelry box, and three large drawers.

Opening the box, Huang pulled forth from it a long strand of gold ribbon. The words, '_Wèizào dì měiróng hé wéixiǎn_' were stitched across it with crimson thread. He smiled, "_Forged of Beauty and Danger_' she will be." he muttered to himself with a toothy grin. He lay the head wrap over top the dress, before pulling a necklace out of the jewelry box as well. It consisted of a thick brown cord adorned with a ruby, and was also laid out on the dress. Huang smiled and nodded to himself, before turning and exiting the room, returning to his study. The base was designed in a way so that, if one were to enter his daughter's room, they would have to go through his private study first.

Just a safety precaution he had thought of when designing the new addition to the base. He was excited to meet his only child, and hoped that she would be happy to see him as well.

* * *

**Yay! I got chapter 8 done and it's longer than 7! I think...So what did you guys think of Huang? Was he what you expected? Thank you to MBSAVfan1, M4dG4rl, and Sleet12 for reviewing the previous chapter!**


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